Barangay, SK bets warm up as 9-day campaign period begins
City Election Officer Jonathan Sayno has called on the candidates for the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to obey the rules and guidelines set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) relative to election campaigning and propaganda.
The campaign period started 12:01 today up to midnight of October 27, 2007. The synchronized elections will be held October 29.
A total of 2,880 positions both for barangay and SK are up for grabs in Iloilo City but as of press time yesterday some aspirants were still lining up at the City Comelec to beat the 12 midnight deadline for the filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) .
Sayno said Comelec Resolution No. 8320 released by the Commission en banc October 8, 2007 governs the conduct of election campaigning and propaganda.
Sayno reminded the candidates that they are only allowed to put one poster with a size not exceeding 2 feet by 3 feet in every designated common poster area in their barangay.
In addition, the poll body imposes that only handwritten or printed letters not exceeding 8 ½ inches in width and 14 inches in length are allowed.
Ten common poster areas in each barangay of the city will be designated wherein candidates may place or display their campaign posters. Barangay halls are already included in the 10 designated-common poster areas. Other areas that may be designated as common poster areas are plazas, markets, and Barangay centers.
Sayno said candidates who will disregard this prohibition by posting or displaying their posters outside the identified common poster areas face election charges.
From the start of the campaign period up to the election day, candidates are also prohibited to make any donation, contribution and gifts in cash or in kind.
To ensure a level playing field for all Barangay and SK candidates, Comelec's Resolution No. 8320 imposed a limit on how much a candidate shall spend for his election campaign.
Sayno said candidates are only allowed to spend an amount not exceeding P3.00 for every registered voter in the Barangay where he seeks to be elected.
The intervention of any political party, coalition of political parties or any other organization to a candidate is also not allowed under the same resolution.
However, during the campaign period, non-political, non-partisan private or civic organizations may hold in any barangay a public forum at which all candidates for the barangay and SK offices could be invited to present their platforms or programs and other relevant issues.
Sayno also urged the public to report to the their office any violation committed by the candidates pertinent to the rules and guidelines on campaigning and propaganda.
He said without a complainant or a witness the Comelec could not prosecute candidates who violate the elections laws.
(with a report from PIA)